A woman allegedly locked her seven-year-old relative in a dog cage underneath a Christmas tree. Rose Marie Anderson is accused of caging the young girl ‘for hours on end’ beneath the Christmas tree in her apartment in Harris County, Texas, according to court documents.
Image Credit: Metro [ARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- The woman accused of locking a 7-year-old relative under her Christmas tree in a dog cage and beating her has posted bond. The alleged attack happened inside her apartment near Old Spanish Train off of Dixie Drive on or around Dec. 13, according to court documents. Rose Anderson was charged with unlawful restraint and injury to a child on Sunday. She posted bond Monday. RELATED: Houston woman arrested for allegedly locking 7-year-old in dog cage under Christmas tree, police say In court documents, Houston police accused Anderson of locking the 7-year-old girl "for hours on end" beneath her Christmas tree. Police said Anderson kicked the girl, who was reportedly zip-tied, and forced her to urinate on herself. The girl's mouth was allegedly duct taped. "CPS is investigating these abuse allegations alongside law enforcement. The child is now safe in foster care, where she is receiving the care she needs." Texas Department of Family Services Spokesperson Melissa Lanford said. According to the Harris County District Attorney's Office, Anderson's arrest was the result of an electronic tip. "By law, we are all mandated to report if we suspect abuse," Lisa Mickosh said. Mickosh has dedicated her life to helping abused children as COO of Justice for Children. She hopes Anderson's arrest will encourage the community to speak up and look out for signs of child abuse. "Look for the kid that looks like he's not acting like the others, holding back, stuff like that. The obvious physical signs of cuts, bruises, stuff like that. Fear around certain adults," she said. She added that sudden changes in sleep, diet, and more frequent accidents are also signs. She said suspected child abuse should be reported to both CPS and local law enforcement. Records indicate Anderson is a single mother with three jobs. They also cited the child's behavior in school as a motive for the attack. Mickosh noted that stress is often a contributing factor in child abuse cases and emphasized the importance of strong support networks. She also added that parenting resources are "widely available" for those seeking advice regarding appropriate discipline.]
Anderson also allegedly zip-tied the girl, duct taped her mouth, forced her to urinate on herself and kicked her while she was trapped in the cage, police said. Her motive was to ‘discipline’ the girl ‘for her behavior at school’, state the court documents obtained by KTRK.
Records showed that Anderson and the girl are relatives, and that the suspect is a single mother working three jobs. The crime happened on or around December 13 on Dixie Drive near the South Side of Houston, and Anderson was arrested thanks to an electronic tip.
Anderson appeared at Harris County Magistrate on Sunday and was charged with injury to a child and unlawful restraint. ‘CPS (Child Protective Services) is investigating these abuse allegations alongside law enforcement,’ Texas Department of Family Services Spokesperson Melissa Lanford told KTRK.
‘The child is now safe in foster care, where she is receiving the care she needs.’. A neighbor, Allante Ricks, said the news of the case was unbelievable. ‘Putting your child in a cage? I would never. I can’t imagine,’ Ricks, who has a five-year-old daughter, told KHOU.
